Skip to main content

Michigan, Michigan State lead way with neurologists on sideline

Most neurologists don't work with 100,000 people screaming in the background, in the open air and with patients who often are impatient to leave the exam table.

The New York Times looked at a group of Michigan neurologists whose office is the football sidelines.

The Times wrote that their rare presence is an oddity in a conference that works with the Ivy League on a concussion project.

According to a Big Ten survey conducted this month, Indiana has a sideline neurologist for home games and Nebraska, which just built a state-of-the-art neurological facility attached to the football field, does not have one on the field. All of the league's other teams rely on training staffs to make diagnoses during games. Penn State did not respond to the survey.

Both Kutcher and Kaufman have been working in an official capacity since 2012. Michigan State coach Mark Dantonio said Kaufman's presence has helped recruiting to assuage parents' fears.

-- Bill Bradley, contributing editor